1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air bag device for protecting a vehicle occupant by extending an air bag in the event of a collision, particularly, to an air bag device wherein a volume of an airbag is reduced to shorten an extension time of the air bag. More particularly, the present invention relates to an air bag suitable for use in an air bag device for a passenger seat or a rear seat.
2. Description of Prior Art
An air bag device for a passenger seat or a rear seat protects an occupant by extending an air bag in a collision. The device comprises the air bag in a folded state, a retainer or a container for accommodating the air bag, a lid covering the air bag, an inflator (gas generator) for extending the air bag and the like. The air bag device is installed in an instrument panel or a back portion of a backrest of a front seat in a vehicle.
A conventional air bag device for a passenger will now be described with its operation referring to FIG. 7. An air bag 10' is properly folded and accommodated in a container 12' before the air bag device works. A front opening of the container 12' is covered by a lid 14'. When a vehicle collides, an inflator 16' starts to extend the air bag 10'. The lid 14' is pushed by the air bag 10' and opened like a door as shown in the figure so that the air bag 10' is extended in the cabin of the vehicle. The numeral 18' designates an opening for introducing gas from the inflator 16' into the container 12'.
In the conventional air bag device for the passenger, the volume of the air bag is large as compared with the air bag device for a driver. Therefore, the output capacity of the inflator has been increased or the volume of the air bag has been decreased to shorten the extension time so as to quickly restrain the occupant. However, due to the accomplishment of the function of the air bag, there is a limit for decreasing the volume of the air bag.